Mural in Duncan Park honors legacy of Anita Franklin
LEX 18
and last updated 2021-07-23 21:48:59-04
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) â Anita Franklin s fight to end gun violence began in Duncan Park after her son Antonio Franklin was killed there in 2014.
Now a mural honoring her legacy is nearly completed in that same park.
The mural was created by Lexington Artist Keaton Young and includes an image of Franklin with doves on one side and a silhouette of her speaking to a group on the other.
LEX 18 I describe her as fire, said Franklin s son Ricardo. She s very fiery and passionate about what she did. So I think Keaton s work has been amazing and it truly brings out who my mom was.
Multiple Lexington shootings hours apart concern neighbors, anti-gun violence activist
One person is dead and four are recovering in the hospital after a string of shootings took place between Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning in Lexington.
and last updated 2021-05-22 19:03:30-04
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) â One person is dead and four are recovering in the hospital after a string of shootings took place between Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning in Lexington.
Police were called to the 1800 block of Marietta Drive Friday around 6 p.m. where they found a 19-year-old woman and toddler with gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police believe it to be an isolated incident and have not released information on a suspect.
Originally published on April 26, 2021 3:10 pm
Hundreds of people showed up for a Peace Walk at Lexington’s Duncan Park on Saturday, where, in 2014, Antonio Franklin Jr. was killed in a random shooting. As WUKY’s Arlo Barnette reports, state and local leaders led the crowd in calling for an end to gun violence among Lexington’s youth.
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Attendees walked a mile and stood to hear speeches for two hours in the steady rain on a chilly day, as victim’s families, community leaders, and Governor Andy Beshear thanked the crowd for showing up to memorialize Antonio Franklin Jr. and other Kentuckians lost to gun violence. 15 people have died from gun violence in Lexington since the start of the year.
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Attendees walked a mile and stood to hear speeches for two hours in the steady rain on a chilly day, as victim’s families, community leaders, and Governor Andy Beshear thanked the crowd for showing up to memorialize Antonio Franklin Jr. and other Kentuckians lost to gun violence. 15 people have died from gun violence in Lexington since the start of the year.
A winding gallery was set up behind the stage, with pictures of victims hanging from clothespins. Beshear remembered Franklin’s mother, Anita, who died in February of 2020 after years of advocating for gun control and victim’s rights following her son’s death. She was a member of the Survivors Council in the Attorney General’s office when Beshear served as AG. Families of those killed spoke to the need for solidarity in the effort to end gun violence, some asking for better help from law enforcement and city officials. The Antonio Franklin Jr. Violence Intervention Project, led by his brother, Ricardo
Peace Walk to end gun violence
LEX 18
and last updated 2021-04-24 21:46:54-04
LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) â Despite the rain, many people showed up at Duncan Park in Lexington Saturday afternoon for the first peace walk of the year hosted by the Antonio Franklin Jr. Violence Prevention Project.
Antonio Franklin was killed in 2014 when he was hit by gunfire while at Duncan Park.
His mother, Anita Franklin, was a community activist who started the peace walk after his death. When she passed away last year, her son, Ricardo, took the lead in continuing their mission.
The goal of the walk is to bring awareness to the consequences of gun violence, the effect on families, and how to end it.